Ballot blather / Santorum should support troops in another way (and Rendell does what)

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ^ | October 29, 2004 | Editorial

[Former Military Chick]

Although they belong to the party of the backdoor draft, Republicans have made "we support our troops" their political mantra. In support of the idea that the GOP is the patriotic home of the military, conservative talk radio has recently been making electoral mischief in Pennsylvania.

Here is political opportunism without shame. The idea put about is that the absentee ballots of those serving their country overseas will not be counted because of those tricky Democrats in the Rendell administration. This reckless political charge marks the return of a golden oldie; a furor over challenges to military ballots was part of the GOP counteroffensive mounted to offset the shenanigans that compromised fair play in Florida in 2000.

Talk radio might be dismissed as a great engine of fact-challenged noise but Sen. Rick Santorum, no less, has given this particular nonsense some official cover.

Gov. Ed Rendell, who last week issued a press release denouncing the "misinformation" on the radio air waves, this week wrote to Sen. Santorum, and the senator responded with his own letter, expressing disappointment that Gov. Rendell was resisting "the commonsense efforts to ensure that members of our Armed Forces and other Pennsylvanians living overseas are counted in the 2004 election."

In fact, Gov. Rendell promises this will be done and no credible evidence suggests that it won't be. Only two of 67 counties failed to send out ballots by Sept. 20 or thereabouts and arrangements were made to send those ballots out by express mail.

Sen. Santorum's "commonsense efforts" -- taking the practical form of a proposed extension to the Oct. 29 deadline for absentee ballots -- are neither necessary nor commonsensical. (Under federal law, absentee votes for president can be counted after the state deadline but prior to the close of polls on Election Day).

[Former Military Chick]

Judge Kane rejected these remedies as unneeded and potentially harmful to the electoral process in this state. While an official of the U.S. Military Postal Service testified that it takes about two weeks to deliver mail to service members in Afghanistan and Iraq -- although sometimes up to 29 days -- the USMPS was going to use express mail this week to ensure the timely delivery of ballots. Some 26,739 absentee ballots have been distributed to both overseas and military voters. According to Sen. Santorum's information, 10,600 Pennsylvanians are serving in the Armed Forces overseas.

We have been working on the mail system for well, a long time. It has slowly improved. But this is not about the military mail, as it is becaue of the democrats going to court and not allowing the states to print a final ballot. It has to be sent out correct. JEEZ I still say Randell has to go, yesterday.

[Texas_Jarhead]

WIth one way delivery time falling between 2-4 weeks for 1st class postage I think those effin anti-war union ba$tards at the USPS should designate and dedicate whatever resources are necessary to move ballots to and from the theatre of opertions. If they have to lease fedex cargo jets to move ballots in bulk in a matter of days then they should do it.

[kingattax]

rendell is a RAT hack...he doesnt have the class to be a real
governor.


here is the slime's email.......fill it up !

http://sites.state.pa.us/PA_Exec/Governor/govmail.html

[suzyshop]

Any you guys hear Rendell on Sean Hannity show today?Sean kept pressing him about the military votes.Asked Rendell over and over if he would drop his opposition ,to not extending the military deadline for the ballots.Rendell said he would get back to Hannity today on his radio talk show about it .I for one will be interested to hear what his lame excuses about disenfranchising our military are going to be.

[Former Military Chick]

I had heard about the Hannity show and Rendell. If you get a chance mind posting it on FR, I am sure others will be curious.

[devolve]

When our troops come home some politicians, judges, DNC hacks, and media better move to France quickly.

Any who are not allowed their Constitutional right to vote while under enemy fire overseas because of a Rendell is going to to be very annoyed.


I would mot write any insurance on the lefties anymore.

[Grampa Dave]

I noticed that this insane lunatic mediot maggot editor didn't put its name on this vile pos posing as editorial.

[MeekOneGOP]

Yesterday, Hannity got Governor Rendell on the phone during his radio show. He was grilling Rendell over this. Sean was trying to get him to pledge to extend the deadline for the absentee ballots to be counted. Rendell said something about talking to the court later yesterday, and so he couldn't comment. But, Rendell promised Hannity that he would call him back again today on his radio show and discuss it further. He said he couldn't yesterday because he was under an order not to discuss it before talking to the court about this case .....